UMSL-Winona State | UMSL-Ashland

KIRKSVILLE, MO. – The University of Missouri-St. Louis volleyball team opened the 2012 season with a 3-0 loss (25-17, 25-22, 25-15) to Winona State in the Tritons' first match of the Days Inn Bulldog Invitational, hosted by Truman State, Friday afternoon. UMSL then suffered another 3-0 setback, falling 25-18, 25-17, 25-23 to Ashland later that evening.

Hitting woes hampered the Tritons against Winona State, as UMSL hit just .009 as a team, recording 27 kills and 26 errors. Winona State caused many of those errors with 13 blocks, including eight from senior Kathy Lohff and finished the match at a .270 clip.

Junior Chelsea Burkle finished with six kills and added four digs and three blocks to lead the Tritons, while sophomore Haley Brightwell recorded five kills and six digs.

Freshman Lindsay Meyer posted a double-double in her collegiate debut, dishing out 11 assists to go with a team-best 14 digs, while senior Jennie Manis added 12 digs.

In the nightcap against Ashland, senior Haley Woods finished with a career-best nine kills, while Burkle and senior Liz Jaeger added seven each. Manis registered 18 digs, while Meyer collected her second straight double-double, finishing with 18 assists and 15 digs.

The Tritons hit a .100 clip, while the Eagles hit .237 and held a 5-2 advantage in blocks.

UMSL scored two points late in the third set and took a 23-22 lead on a Burkle kill, but Ashland ended the match with three unanswered points, including two kills from Brittany Snider, who recorded a match-high 17.

The Tritons held a 16-15 lead in the second set, but five straight Ashland points ignited a 10-1 run to close out the set.

UMSL closes out tournament play tomorrow with matches against No. 7 ranked Minnesota-Duluth (11 a.m.) and Truman State (7:30 p.m.)